Cabinet discusses Justice Ganguly issue

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday discussed issues relating to clearing the procedural requirements for sending a presidential reference to the Supreme Court to initiate an inquiry into alleged "sexual misconduct" by Justice A K Ganguly.

Faced with mounting pressure, Justice Ganguly had resigned as chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) following allegations of sexual harassment by a law intern.

Justice Ganguly's decision to quit came after the Union Cabinet had earlier approved a proposal for sending a presidential reference to the Supreme Court on the issue, which was seen as a step towards his removal as WBHRC chairman.

A three-judge panel of the apex court had indicted Justice Ganguly by holding that the statement of the intern, both written and oral, had prima facie disclosed "an act of unwelcome behaviour (unwelcome verbal/non-verbal conduct of sexual nature)" by the judge with her in a hotel room on December 24 last year.

Justice Ganguly has denied the allegations of the law intern and blamed "powerful interests" of trying to tarnish his image due to certain judgments delivered by him.

In a letter to then Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, Justice Ganguly said he had never harassed the law intern nor made any unwelcome advances toward her or any other female intern.